Relationship between enamel fluoride concentration and dental caries in a selected population

The relationship between dental caries experience (DMFT) and enamel fluoride concentration (EnF) was determined in 100 freshman dental students aged between 20 and 26 yr. DMFT was determined by clinical examination and supplemented by bitewing radiographs. Biopsies were performed on the maxillary right canine of each student by etching with 1 M perchloric acid for 5 s. A regression analysis of DMFT and EnF and of square root DMFT and 1nEnF indicated that the correlation coefficients were not significant. Students exposed to fluoridated drinking water had significantly lower DMFT and significantly greater EnF than the students reared in areas with non-fluoridated drinking water.